But I'd Definitely Like to Take a Sample
The question 'Has anyone taken the Heal skill?' gets a chorus of negative replies from around the table, hearing which has our GM delighted to inform us that our NPC companion, Heathor, has the skill.
'Our NPC traitor, you mean. Oh, don't look at me like that. With you running the adventure the NPC's betrayal is going to happen.'
But our GM seems a little upset that we'd treat his creation in such a suspicious manner. 'You can always ask him to leave.'
'We can, but he'll just leave the party, stalk us from a distance, and still ambush us at the given time. We may as well hold on to him until he inevitably turns on us, and reap the benefits of his healing in the meantime.' Still the GM fakes being hurt. We're not buying it, we have experience. We'll see who's right soon enough.
We start the adventure, reaching a hamlet where the locals are suffering from what is claimed to be a recently poisoned river. In particular, a rapscallion pleads with us, obvious adventurers, to save his little sister. We can't say no to such a request—apparently; we initially tried our best to avoid the plot.
Heathor examines the young girl. Noting her grey pallor, he says that 'this is definitely the result of poison, although not one that I've seen before.'
'Oh really, Mr Healer. And just how many poisons have you seen before?'
'Many', he says, with a glint in his eye.
Right. This is definitely not the assassins' guild agent out to betray us later in the adventure. Nothing to worry about here.